Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-24
THE orrIzENs, comm MrrrpE.



1ts Legislation Rressnted at IsOvel
by n weIghty Delegation
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and sourna
Dover, March 10 A weighty tSelega
tion came down from Wilmington o-day
TO present and urge upon the Genera
Assembly the legislation asked for by tht
''citizen's committee"
The delegation was made up OF DR.. j.
A. Draper, ex-Sheritf Pyle, Col. Andrew
g. Wilson, Dennis ]. Mention, DIR. Howard
Ogle, j. Parke Postles, DR.. Charles JEFF
ferris, William Lawton, George O. Oapelle,
Preston Lea, Henry Mendenhall, William
I. Porter, james Carmichael, d. O'O,
Kenney. Enoch Moore, Jr., George G..
Lobdell, James II. Jones, Joseph L. Gar.
penter, Jr., e. o. Speakman, f. N. Buck,
Samuel Cooling, A. j. Hart, j. T. Cause,
George w. Bush, John Mc0loskey, DIR.
Pyle, Esquire Bertolette, Joseph Pyle,
Patrick Haggerty, William 81. Lungren,
Morris Orossan, Lewis O. Yandegrift,
Esq, Thomas r. Lally, and there may
have been several others. The dslega-
ton was given hearing In Representa-
tiyes Hall at p. m.
Mr.. Ware took the chair and Mr.. J..
Parke Postles took the floor and intro
duced the Wilmington delegation, which,
he said, represented no faotional idea,
but simply the conviction of the people
of Wilmington that the affairs of IL city
are not in good shape. The delegation
embraces men of all political parties and
representing all interests from the largest
manufacturers down to the laborer for
his daily bread These men come hero with
an end in view. They feel that the time
has come to take some STEPS to change
the course our municipal administration
has taken. Our debt is annually grow
ing, with little to show for it, our streets
are in deplorable condition he knew
of only one fit to drive over. Az our
high rate of taxation we should have
good streets. This delegation is b re to
promote wise and economical ex ,,endi-
ture of the peoples money, ami y, ex
press the views of thousands OF is ilow
citizens who are not hero.
MIR. Postles then submitted q bill 10 so
amend the city charter as to proYida that
every member of the Wilmington City
Council shall be a freeholder to the, extent
of not less than $1,000; to which the
member shall make oath; members of
council not to receive more than $2 per
week, designed to kill the committee
meeting abuse.) The amendment goes
on TO prescribe that any councilman ae-
cepting greater sum of money, or q
bribe of any kind, or shall be concerned
In overdrawing an appropriation, shall
be liable to fine and imprisonment in the
discretion of the court, and be incnpaci-
tsted from again holding Office under the
city.
Enoch Moore, Jr., then presented the
street end sewer departments bill, the
provisions of which have already been
stated. He thought the bill would COM
mend itself to the General Assembly as to
the best interests of the people OF viii
mington.
Andrew G. Wilson presented an exhibit
of the street and sewer expenditures for
the past three years. Ins 1884, out of
total sum Of $491, 600, there was $68, 1854
expended by the street and sewer COM
mitteesi in 1885, out of $497, 900, there
was $94, ,271 expended for these items; in
1886 this expenditure was reduced by the
careful management of the then chairman
of the finance committee, Dennis ]. Men,
tony, to $53. 900; it was reduced so much
that he didn't get reelected to Council.
This year, it is understood, there will be
an oyerdraft of nearly $40 900; that is
that the city will have expended nearly
$500,000 and $4,000 besides. The
affairs of the city are badly managed; the
responsibility is scattered among 23 men;
there is no one to answer it; the money
has gone and the city must borrow more.
This is movement of the citizens to stop
some of the leaks.
NJ. n lrossan co--chcratea the Pre-.
ceding speakers as to the deplorable con-
dition of the streets. He said the streets
paved last year, both with Belgian blocks
and rubble, are worse now than they
were before; really unsafe to drive over.
He owned q small property worth, say
", 500; one-third of the rental value is
paid in taxes and this is the return he
gets for it.
Mr.. Postles said that it was not to the
OF taxes we are objecting. We
are willing to pay the necessary taxes to
produce good results. What we ask is
that the money shall be expended Just as
q business man expends his money; see
that the material is according to contract,
that the work is done at the lowest rate
and that the work shall be we'll done.
We want value for the taxes we do pay.
j. I. Cause would simply confirm
what the others had said. He hoped
the General Assembly would take the
matters asked for, consider them care
fully and give us what we ask for.
Joseph Pyle endorsed what had been
said and added that he had broken down
three times in one day while driving on
the city streets and had waited years for
the opening of sewer, which a COM
mittee came out to look at now and then,
but nothing was done.
Mr.. Postles repudiated an implication
that this was measure advocated by
aristocrats. To confute this he called on
Mr.. Haggerty, whom he introduced as
man who earns his living by the sweat of
mis- brow.
Mr.. Haggerty said he had little pro-
perty he thought he owned, but having |
found out that 1t belonged to City Coun. |
ill, he came down here to swell the |
,rowd and to ask for honest and better
government.
DIR. Draper said that he felt there was
,ne subject that lay at the root of the |
natter--the getting of decent and fair |
elections in the city of Wilmington. A bill |
% procure this is being prepared. We |
ion't want to live under government by |
'lection inspectors. II is especially neces.
ary TO do something TO remedy this evil. |
William Lawion lived in house as.
Ieased at $4,000. An adjoining house ex.
.etly like it was sold this year at 81, 200.
Mr., Postles sail he could name proper
les that had been offered for sale for
hree years past at less than their assessed
'ity valuation. He quoted Mr.. Lobdell
IS convinced that the debt of Wilmington
BEARS to the assessed valuation of taxable
property greater proportion than aim, st
my other American city but he would
lot make this a definite assertion in the
'bsenoe of figures to back up the state
nent, which he had not at hand Mr. |
'ostles then thanked the Legislators for